Hertfordshire Building Control (HBC) is rolling out a new user guide for Submit-a-Plan, the latest step in its ongoing use of the platform. The launch of the guide is designed to make it easier for applicants, builders, architects and agents across the county to navigate their accounts and access live application information.
For anyone submitting a building control application in Hertfordshire, the change is immediate and practical. Submit-a-Plan is a full, front-end client portal that covers the entire application process from submission to completion. It allows applicants to submit online, track the progress of their applications in real time, respond to requests for additional information, manage their payments, book inspections and receive decisions and certificates, and more, all through a single, secure cloud-based portal that’s available 24/7.
The Submit-a-Plan client portal integrates with HBC’s back-office systems via DataSpace Live, which means HBC’s team and the applicant can work from the same data, in real time.
When an officer raises a query, the applicant sees it immediately in their account and can respond with documents or comments directly through the portal. And when HBC shares a decision notice or completion certificate, it appears in the portal straight away.
Nothing gets lost in email chains or needs chasing manually, and there’s a complete audit trail of every communication, document and action throughout the life of the application.
A host of benefits
For HBC’s team, the integration removes a significant amount of administrative overhead. Case management, plan checking, inspections and document management all sit within the same platform, so officers have a complete picture of every application without having to move between systems.
The system also handles routine tasks like sending acknowledgements, chasing outstanding information, and directing payment requests, freeing officers to focus on the work that requires their expertise. Its benefits include:
- Accuracy – Centralised data management reduces errors and ensures consistent information.
- Client experience – A user-friendly online portal for submissions, with real-time tracking and interaction simplifies the approval process.
- Compliance – The system supports HBC’s processes by helping teams manage key Building Safety Regulator requirements and required workflow steps.
- Efficiency – The system automates routine tasks and streamlines workflows, freeing up staff time for more complex activities.
- Transparency – Applicants get clear visibility into the status of their applications.
A ‘significant step forward’
Gary Cass, Director at Hertfordshire Building Control, said: “Our partnership with Resolution Data Management marks a significant step forward in our commitment to operational excellence.
“Implementing Submit-a-Plan and DataSpace Live and rolling out this new user guide enables us to deliver a seamless experience for our service users.
“It also empowers our team with more efficient tools and provides a more accessible and user-friendly platform for processing building control submissions.”
Tony James, Sales & Marketing Director at Resolution Data Management, added: “We’re delighted to see our relationship with Hertfordshire Building Control go from strength to strength. HBC is the kind of forward-thinking, high-capacity service that Submit-a-Plan and DataSpace Live are built for.
“We’re confident our integrated building control software solution will make a real difference, both for the team and for everyone who submits applications through it.”
A trailblazing building control team
HBC isn’t a typical local authority building control team. Established in 2016, it operates across eight local authority areas in Hertfordshire and is one of the largest ISO 9001-accredited local authority building control bodies in the country. Its scale and structure make it a trailblazer for where building control in England is heading.
The Building Control Independent Panel report, published in May 2026, found that the current system is fragmented, under-resourced and inconsistent. It recommended a move towards fewer, larger, consolidated building control bodies across the UK. The Government has agreed with that assessment and indicated it intends to pursue structural reform along those lines.
HBC’s shared-service model aligns with the direction of travel identified by the panel: fewer, larger and more resilient building control bodies. It found that skilled and committed building control professionals are being let down by a system that is too often unable to support them in doing the job the public needs.
The case for better technology to support building control teams becomes even stronger in that context. Larger, consolidated services handling higher volumes of applications across wider geographies need software that can scale with them, that works as a joined-up system rather than a patchwork set of tools.
That’s what Resolution Data Management’s building control software delivers.
About Submit-a-Plan and DataSpace Live
Our cutting-edge technology is the only system on the market that combines a client-facing portal, integrated plan checking and back-office compliance tools to create a complete, end-to-end building control solution.
Submit-a-Plan is already used by more than 75% of local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which means that applicants and agents who already have an account can use the same login, interface and process, regardless of which authority they’re submitting to.
And DataSpace Live is the only fully hosted end-to-end solution that automates the building control process from submission to approval.
With built-in BSR compliance safeguards, intelligent resource allocation, financials and payments integration and powerful automation, DataSpace Live helps building control teams deliver better services with less effort.
Applicants submitting to Hertfordshire Building Control can register and get started online here.
A full guide to using Submit-a-Plan is available now, covering everything from submitting plans and managing payments to requesting inspections and responding to plan checks. You can view it on the links below:
And to find out more about how our integrated, end-to-end building control software can help your local authority become more efficient and offer a better experience to your applicants, get in touch to book a consultation and demo.